It was a disappointing night at Victoria Park as Solihull Moors took all three points with a 1-0 victory.
While Antony Sweeney's Pools side dominated much of the game, Solihull's resolute approach after taking the lead in the second half served them well.
After a quiet start to the game, it was Pools enjoyed a spell on top, seeing plenty of the ball and doing enough to keep Ryan Boot in the visiting goal on his toes.
Ben Killip reacted well early on to a short pass back to him
as he did enough to put Danny Wright off his stride as he broke through to face
the keeper.Gavan Holohan was lively for Pools and had an early chance
when he picked the ball up on the edge of the box following a corner to smashed
a shot through a crowded box only to see it deflect wisde off a teammate.Holohan was involved again shortly after as he broke forward
through the middle to get another shot in but this time it was easy for Boot
who collected comfortably.At the other end, Fraser Kerr got up well to head clear asSolihull sent a cross into the area.
Nicke Kabamba set Ryan Donaldson away mid-way through the
half as Pools looked to make their dominance count but the skipper's low drive
went wide.With the visitors starting to force their way into the game,
they came closest to opening the scoring as Paul McCallum fired a half-volley
at goal that had Killip beaten but crashed against the crossbar and away from
danger.Pools remained a threat going forward and neat play between Featherstone
and Donaldson sees the latter fire another shot at goal but this time it is
blocked out well by Boot.Pools enjoyed a strong period around the half-hour mark, returning
every Solihull clearance back into the box – with both Featherstone and Mafuta both
at the centre of things for Sweeney's side.Killip pulled off a great save on 39 minutes to deny Gunning
who curled a well-taken freekick at goal which looked destined for the far top
corner – but Killip had other ideas and denied the goal.As the pressure from the visitors increased towards half
time, Peter Kioso put in a strong save to clear the danger late in the half,
before Kabamba cleared well from a corner.Solihull Moors came out brightly after the break and James
Ball pulled Killip out of position early in the half before slotting a low shot
at an empty goal. With the ball rolling towards target though, Kioso showed
great pace to get back and clear the effort off the line and keep things at
0-0.Nicke Kabamba set Holohan away running down the right but after
good work getting into the box, Holohan's final effort was easy for the keeper.
With the game flipping from end to end, it was Solihull
Moors who took the advantage on 59 minutes; after first finding the woodwork
with a shot from close range, Jake Beesley was more successful with his next
effort.A cross into the box was met by the Solihull forward and he
got up to send a header off the inside of the post and into the back of the
net.Pools broke well on 65 minutes, with Holohan again bearing
down from the right after good work from Kabamba but when the midfielder made
his way into the box, his final shot found only the keeper.And Sweeney's side went on to up the pressure on the
visiting goal, with Luke James turning to shoot just wide of goal, before Ryan
Donaldson flashed a shot across the face of goal that was just inches away from
Kabamba who waited in the middle.Luke Williams tried to mark his introduction to the game in
style as he picked up possession 25 yards out and went for goal with a decent
strike that went just wide of the post.Pools kept up their pressure, with further chances for
Holohan and Donaldson and it was Sweeney's side who did all of the running but
the visitors proved real spoilers this evening.Williams tried his luck again, this time looping a ball across the area that had Boot scrambling back but the visiting keeper got there to tip the ball over the bar.
But despite the pressure and possession from Pools, there was no way through and a determined and dogged Solihull Moors side held on to take all three points.
Full Time: Pools 0 Solihull Moors
Attendance: 2703 (39 Solihull Moors)
Pools: Killip, Kioso, Kerr, Raynes, Kitching, Featherstone, Mafuta (Williams 65), Holohan, Donaldson (Muir 82), Kabamba (Hawkes 76), James.
Subs Not Used: Cunnningham, Kennedy.
Solihull Moors: Boot, Reckord, Storer, Gudger, McCallum (Neufville 89), Gunning (Hawkridge 81), Wright (Yussuf 74), Vaughan, Howe, Ball, Beesley.
Subs Not Used: Williams, Hancox.